The History of Initiation - The Masonic Trowel

196 HISTORY OF INITIATION
hideous countenance, enthroned upon an altar, and
decorated with rich jewels and valuable trinkets. His
anger could only be appeased by human sacrifices.21 The
symbol of this terrible divinity was a blue feather, which
was generally appended, in some conspicuous situation,
about his person. "From his hair, tied up with a golden
fillet, there hung an ear, which was another symbol, by
which the afflicted soul and repenting sinner was taught,
that he might confide in the divine mercy, who would
listen to his prayers. He held four darts in his right hand,
signifying the punishment for sin, and the vengeance of
Heaven, which manifests itself to man by plagues, war,
poverty, and famine. His left hand held a golden mirror,
extremely smooth, and so bright as to receive the
objects clearly and distinctly. With the same hand he
held, behind this mirror, a fan made of feathers, of all
kinds and colours, signifying that nothing was hid from
21 A terrible picture of this insatiate monster has been drawn by
Marmontel, (Incas, vol. i., p. 77,) which makes the reader shudder.
Montezuma, in his distress, applies to the sovereign Pontiff for advice,
who thus addresses him " "
: Sir," said he, I would not have you be.
surprised at the weakness of our gods, or at the ruin which seems to
await your empire. We have called up the mighty God of Evil, the
fearful Telcilepulca. He appeared to us over the pinnacle of the
Temple, amidst the darkness of the night. Clouds rent by lightning
were his seat. His head reached up to Heaven; his arms, which
stretched from north to south, seemed to incircle the whole earth :
from his mouth the poison of pestilence seemed ready to burst forth :
in his hollow eyes sparkled the devouring fire of madness and of
famine : he held in one hand the three darts of war, and in his other
rattled the fetters of captivity.
His voice, like the sounds of storms
and tempests, smote our ears : Ye mock me : my altars thirst in vain :
victims are not fattened : a few half starved wretches are all the
my
offerings ye bestow on me. Where is now the time when twenty
thousand captives in one day lay slaughtered in my temple ? Its rock
returned no other sound but groans and bitter wailings, which rejoiced
my heart ; altars swam in blood ; rich offerings lay scattered on my
floor. Hath Montezuma forgotten that I am Telcalepulca, and that
all Heaven's plagues are the ministers of my wrath ? As for the other
gods, let him send them away empty, if he will ; their indulgence exposes
them to contempt : by suffering it they encourage and deserve
it : but let him know that it is folly in the extreme to neglect a jealous
god, the God of Evil." Terrified at this portentous intelligence,
Montezuma gave instant orders that the captives should be surveyed,
and a thousand of them picked out to immolate to their incensed god,
that they should be fattened up with all possible expedition and that
;
as soon as every thing was ready, they should be offered up in solemn
sacrifice.